ALERT - You are ordering an HD-DVD item. This format can be played only in HD-DVD players (the discs will NOT play in regular DVD or Blu-Ray players). If you do NOT have an HD-DVD player, you should not order this item.

Universal Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas - HD-DVD — Terry Gilliam ("Brazil," "Twelve Monkeys") directed this colorful, stylized, pseudo-psychedelic $21-million adaptation of the 1971 Hunter S. Thompson classic, "Fear And Loat... more &raquohing In Las Vegas": A Savage Journeyinto the Heart of the American Dream, about stoned sportswriter Raoul Duke, Thompson's alter ego, on a wild drug-crazed road trip, a paranoid plummetinto the belly of the beast, with his pal, lawyerOscar Zeta Acosta. Originally serialized in Rolling Stone (November 1971), the book catapulted Thompson headfirst toward the Kerouac-Mailer-Capote pantheon and jump-started the entire movement of "gonzo journalism." Carrying a suitcase of drugs, Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp with shaved pate) and his attorney Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro) drive a red convertible across the Mojave from L.A. to Vegas, where Duke has an assignment to cover the Mint 400 desert motorcycle race. As the drugs kick in, Duke ventures into voiceover, filling in the blank spotsand narrative gaps. "This is not a good town for psychedelic drugs," says Duke, but even so, they consume vast quantities, eventually escalating to ether. Duke notes that with ether "you can actuallywatch yourself behaving this terrible way, but you can't control it." The two trash their hotel room, and Gonzo goes back to L.A. Thinking the hotel room holocaust will lead to an arrest, Duke beginsa drive back to L.A., but after an odd encounter with a highway patrolman (Gary Busey) and a telephone conversation with Gonzo, he returns to Vegas to cover the District Attorney Convention on Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs in the glitzy Flamingo Hotel. This time the drugged-out duo trash their Flamingo room. The crazed carnival atmosphere segues into a carney casino, Bazooko's Circus, where a barker (Penn Jillette) spiels amid aerialists, clowns, and a rotating carousel bar. Gonzo worries over runaway teen Lucy (Christina Ricci), who paints por&laquo less

Hunter Thompson practiced total immersion journalism. He called this form reporting gonzo journalism.

Hunter Thompson drove to Las Vegas to report on a motorcycle race and ended up writing a story about himself writing a story about a motorcycle race. If he would have written a conventional report on motorcycle racing it would have been interesting to motorcycle enthusiasts for a few days. Since he wrote a gonzo story he had a very wide canvas and he used it well to create a classic.

Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro do justice to the outrageous characters created by Hunter S Thompson. The reader might be turned off by the obstreperous behavior, extreme self indulgence and offensive inconsiderate language. If you can look past this offensive conduct and you will see that Hunter S Thompson gave us an insight into the American character of the 1970's.

See also: Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga (Modern Library)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

I completely enjoyed this film and recommend it to others.

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Excellent performances by Depp and Del Toro!

A. Bransford | Van Nuys, CA United States | 01/09/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It was upsetting to see the only review of this title was not a review at all but a complaint against amazon so I had to put in my two cents. This movie has some of the best performances from Jonny Depp and Benicio Del Toro and Terry Gilliam directs one of his finest films ever. Too bad this one was missed by audiences in 1998 when it quickly came and went from theatres after the first week. If you like Hunter S. Thompson and movies like The Big Lebowski, you'll want to make sure to add this item to your movie collection. The HD transfer alone is worth purchasing this version, but make sure to check out the Criterion DVD which contains interviews from Hunter S. Thompson as well as a full movie commentary that's as entertaining as the movie itself."

Now this is how older films on HD-DVD should look...

MJH | 06/26/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...older, meaning more than 4-5 years old (or earlier generation dvd's). I read the great reviews of the transfer and have seen my share of disappointing high-def discs already. So I was skeptical when I bought it. This is one of the best (funniest) movies ever.

Well, I first watched the opening scene and some parts of my Criterion version (which had been a better standard transfer) on my 56 HD-RPTV. It used to look great on my 32" tube TV. It looked terrible on the bigger screen of course, making me scared of another cruddy HD transfer like my Sleepy Hollow or the Game (worst ever so far).

After the first few seconds of the opening scene, let alone the rest of the movie, I loved this transfer (HD-DVD). Now this is how "somewhat older" films should look like on HD-DVD! Absolutely amazing colors, contrast and sharpness. The vegas lights look fantastic as do the rest of the colors in this "trip". No annoying digital noise, a few specs of dust on the film which I never mind, and the dust/smoke is rendered beautifully. The DD+ soundtrack is great and it has a DD True soundtrack even though most of us at this point can't take full advantage of it. What a fantastic job this is- I'm loving it."

Response to Jeff Shannon's "professional" review

M. Williams | 12/07/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jeff Shannon is clearly misinformed. The "usual creative differences" mentioned resulted from Cox's refusal to abide by Hunter S. Thompson's specific instructions NOT to use an animated sequence during the period of the film where Depp is sitting at a type-writer reminiscing about the San Fransico Bay Area during the mid-60's. Beyond that, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a story about a man trying to find the American dream. Oh, and another thing, the "so-called lawyer" is based entirely on Hunter's real life attorney and friend Oscar Zeta Acosta, who was an important activist and civil rights attorney. Perhaps Mr. Shannon should actually read Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and some more of H.S. Thompson's work. In fact, I think it would serve him well to read more and write less in general. I can't believe Amazon pays him for this sequacious drivel."

Very good quality

S. J. Southern | UK | 03/22/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"We all know about fear and loathing's story line (which is superb and incredibly funny), however my review is of the quality of the content (compared to the standard DVD which I also own).

Nothing is simple in the world of technology - and simply buying an HD-DVD does not mean that the sound & picture is going to be the best money can buy, I purchased full metal jacket on HD-DVD and was dissapointed by the quality of it. Fear & Loathign is quite the opposite....

I was blown away by the picture and sound quality - compared to other HD-DVD's I own this one is by far the best, the picture is so clear you can see the pores on johhny depps face.